Latest Lifestyle

Latest Jobs

Friday December 27 2013

Anti-gays Bill, repentance top Xmas sermons

In Summary

Preaching. Religious leaders say homosexuality is not a Ugandan practice but urged those involved to seek repentance.

Advertisement

By monitor team

The Church has commended the 9th Parliament for passing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, saying it would preserve the culture of Ugandans.Delivering Christmas messages, religious leaders described the passing of the Bill as a Christmas gift for the Church and a landmark achievement for Uganda. “In Uganda, there are so many injustices like child sacrifice, domestic violence, drug abuse which are now a big issue in our schools... I want to thank Parliament for passing the Anti-homosexuality Bill. I want the world to understand what we are saying,” the Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, the Most Rev Stanley Ntagali, said.

He told believers at All Saints Church, Kampala that any contentious clauses could be corrected.“Can you imagine your son brings another man at home for introduction?... The church preaches forgiveness, reconciliation and transformation. I do not want people to look at us and say the church is against the homosexuals. We love everybody. The homosexuals, and lesbians are all children of God but we want them to repent and have eternal life,” Archbishop Ntagali said. At St Paul’s Cathedral Namirembe, Bishop Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira commended MPs for passing the anti-gays Bill but asked them to object the proposed law to legalise abortion describing it as murder. The Bishop of Mbale, the Rt Rev Patrick Gidudu, asked Ugandans and political leaders who are against the Bill to seek God, repent and renew fellowship to save the country from God’s wrath. Mbale Pentecostal Bishop Andrew Mutengu lauded the Speaker of Parliament, Ms Rebecca Kadaga, for giving Christians a “Christmas gift”.

“She has given it to us by passing the Homosexuality and Pornography Bills. We should now refocus our fight towards the rampant corruption, political intolerance, child sacrifice and abuse of human rights,” Bishop Mutengu said.Bishop Evans Mukasa Kisekka of St Mark Cathedral in Luweero said: “We were the first people to reject funds from gay Christians who wanted our diocese to use the funds for Church projects.” At Kitovu Catholic Cathedral, Masaka Bishop John Baptist Kaggwa warned believers against what he described as “heathen worship and practices” like erection of shrines yet the culprits confess the Catholic faith.

In Kabale, the Bishop of Kigezi, the Rt Rev George Katwesigye, called for prayer for peace in the troubled South Sudan and unity among political and religious leaders in Uganda.Gulu Archbishop John Baptist Odama urged top leaders in Juba to seek peaceful means to end the violence that has reportedly led to the deaths of more than 600 people.During mass at Ediofe Cathedral, Bishop Emeritus Fredrick Drandua of Arua Diocese urged leaders to emulate Jesus’ example and stand for the truth.